Luminous respiratory ventilation device

Abstract

A respiratory ventilation device—configured to send an airflow, generated by a fan, into a duct that extends between the device and a breathing mask configured to be worn by a user—comprises an air inlet intended to admit air into the device; a fan; and an air outlet configured to be connected to the duct, such that, when the fan is in operation, the air flows from the air inlet successively toward the fan and then toward the air outlet. The device also comprises a flow rate sensor configured to measure a flow rate of air circulating through the device, and/or a pressure sensor configured to measure a pressure between the fan and the air outlet. A control unit is connected to the flow rate sensor and/or to the pressure sensor. The device also includes at least one source of light.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A respiratory ventilation device, configured to send an airflow, generated by a fan, into a duct, the duct extending between the device and a respiratory mask, configured to be worn by a user, the device comprising:
 an air inlet, intended to admit air into the device; 
 a fan; 
 an air outlet, the air outlet being configured to be connected to the duct;
 such that when the fan is operating, air flows, through the device, from the air inlet successively to the fan then to the air outlet; 
 
 a flow sensor, configured to measure a flow rate of air flowing through the device, and/or a pressure sensor, configured to measure a pressure between the fan and the air outlet; 
 a control unit, connected to the flow sensor and/or to the pressure sensor; 
 
       the device further comprising an enclosure, defining the air inlet and the air outlet, the enclosure containing the fan,
 the enclosure extending, around a longitudinal axis, between a base and a top; 
 the enclosure comprising a side wall connecting the base and the top, the side wall extending around the longitudinal axis; 
 the enclosure comprising at least one holder, forming a curve, and extending inside the enclosure, around the longitudinal axis, the holder being placed facing the side wall, the holder bearing a plurality of light sources, each light source being configured to emit a light; 
 the enclosure being formed from a translucent and/or scattering material; 
 such that under the effect of an activation of the light sources fastened to the holder, the light, produced by the light sources, diffuses through the side wall of the enclosure; and 
 
       wherein:
 the side wall extends around the longitudinal axis at a first radius; 
 the enclosure contains a light reflector, the light reflector extending around the longitudinal axis, at a second radius less than the first radius; 
 such that the light reflector is configured to reflect a light produced by the light sources toward the enclosure. 
 
     
     
       2. The device of  claim 1 , wherein the light sources are configured to emit the light in the direction of the top of the enclosure. 
     
     
       3. The device of  claim 1 , wherein at least one light source, or each light source, emits light in an emission cone extending around an emission axis, the emission axis of the light source, or of each light source, being oriented in the direction of the top of the enclosure. 
     
     
       4. The device of  claim 1 , wherein the light sources are spaced apart around the longitudinal axis. 
     
     
       5. A respiratory ventilation device, configured to send an airflow, generated by a fan, into a duct, the duct extending between the device and a respiratory mask, configured to be worn by a user, the device comprising:
 an air inlet, intended to admit air into the device; 
 a fan; 
 an air outlet, the air outlet being configured to be connected to the duct; 
 such that when the fan is operating, air flows, through the device, from the air inlet successively to the fan then to the air outlet;
 a flow sensor, configured to measure a flow rate of air flowing through the device, and/or a pressure sensor, configured to measure a pressure between the fan and the air outlet; 
 a control unit, connected to the flow sensor and/or to the pressure sensor; 
 
 the device further comprising an enclosure, defining the air inlet and the air outlet, the enclosure containing the fan,
 the enclosure extending, around a longitudinal axis, between a base and a top; 
 the enclosure comprising a side wall connecting the base and the top, the side wall extending around the longitudinal axis; 
 the enclosure comprising at least one holder, forming a curve, and extending inside the enclosure, around the longitudinal axis, the holder being placed facing the side wall, the holder bearing a plurality of light sources, each light source being configured to emit a light; 
 the enclosure being formed from a translucent and/or scattering material; 
 
 such that under the effect of an activation of the light sources fastened to the holder, the light, produced by the light sources, diffuses through the side wall of the enclosure; 
 
       wherein at least one light source, or each light source, lies between the holder and the longitudinal axis, such that the holder is interposed between at least one light source, or each light source, and the enclosure. 
     
     
       6. The device of  claim 1 , wherein at least one light source is driven by the control unit, such that the control unit is configured to activate the light source depending on the flow rate of air measured by the flow sensor and/or on the pressure measured by the pressure sensor. 
     
     
       7. The device of  claim 1 , wherein the control unit is configured to modulate a color of the light emitted by the light source. 
     
     
       8. The device of  claim 1 , wherein the control unit is configured to modulate a light intensity and/or a color of the light source with a modulation period, the modulation period comprising:
 a gradual increase in light intensity followed by a gradual decrease in light intensity; 
 and/or a gradual variation in color between a start color and an end color, followed by a gradual variation in the color of the emitted light between the end color and the start color. 
 
     
     
       9. The device of  claim 8 , wherein the modulation period is adjustable. 
     
     
       10. The device of  claim 6 , wherein the control unit is configured to:
 estimate a respiratory rate depending on the measured flow rates of the flow sensor; 
 define the modulation period depending on the estimated respiratory rate. 
 
     
     
       11. The device of  claim 6 , wherein the control unit is configured to:
 estimate a heart rate depending on the flow rates measured by the flow sensor; 
 define the modulation period depending on the estimated heart rate. 
 
     
     
       12. The device of  claim 6 , wherein the control unit is configured to activate the light source, in an alarm sequence, when the air flow rate is outside of a predetermined flow-rate range. 
     
     
       13. The device of  claim 6 , wherein the control unit is configured to determine a variation as a function of time in the flow rates measured by the flow sensor, at various successive times, and to activate the light source, in an alarm sequence, when the variation as a function of time is less than a predefined variation threshold. 
     
     
       14. The device of  claim 6 , wherein the control unit is configured to activate the light source, in an alarm sequence, when the air pressure is outside of a predetermined pressure range. 
     
     
       15. The device of  claim 1 , wherein the enclosure comprises a clock, connected to the control unit, such that the control unit is configured to modulate a light intensity of the light sources depending on the clock. 
     
     
       16. A method for controlling a light source of the device of  claim 1 , comprising:
 a) measuring flow rates using the flow sensor and/or of pressures using the pressure sensor at various measurement times, respectively; 
 b) depending on the measured flow rates and/or pressures, activating the light source with the control unit. 
 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 16 , wherein, in b), activating the light source is configured to modulate a light intensity and/or a color of the light source with a modulation period, the modulation period comprising:
 a gradual increase in light intensity followed by a gradual decrease in light intensity; 
 and/or a gradual variation in color between a start color and an end color, followed by a gradual variation in the color of the emitted light between the end color and the start color. 
 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 17 , wherein a) comprises
 measuring flow rates at various measurement times, and an estimating a respiratory rate depending on the measured flow rates, such that, in b), the modulation period is defined depending on the estimated respiratory rate; and/or 
 measuring flow rates at various measurement times, and estimating a heart rate depending on the measured flow rates, such that, in b), the modulation period is defined depending on the estimated heart rate. 
 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 16 , wherein b) comprises activating the light source in an alarm sequence when:
 an air flow rate measured in step a) is outside of a predetermined flow-rate range; 
 and/or a variation in the air flow rate, during a determined time range, is less than a variation threshold; 
 and/or an air pressure measured in a) is outside of a predetermined pressure range.